an official  New Hampshire government website     
NHES NHES
    New Hampshire Employment Security     
         

By Geography >> City/Town >> Chesterfield

 Chesterfield, NH   
NH cities/towns
Community Contact Town of Chesterfield
Alissa Thompson, Town Administrator
PO Box 175
  Chesterfield, NH 03443
 
Telephone (603) 363-4624
Fax (603) 363-8047
E-mail townadmin@nhchesterfield.com
Web Site www.nhchesterfield.com
 
Municipal Office Hours Selectmen, Town Hall, and Assessors: Monday to Thursday, 8-4, Friday, 9-12; Town Clerk: Tuesday and Wednesday, 9-1 and 4-7, last Saturday each month by appointment; Tax Collector: Monday, 2-6
 
County Cheshire County
Labor Market Area Keene, NH Micropolitan NECTA
Tourism Region Monadnock Region
Planning Commission Southwest Region Planning
Regional Development Monadnock Economic Development Corp.
 
Election Districts
US Congress District 2
Executive Council District 2
State Senate District 10
State Representative Cheshire County Districts 6, 15
Incorporated: 1752
 
Origin: Established in 1735 while New Hampshire was still under governance of Massachusetts, this town was the site of Fort Number 1 in the line of protective trading forts bordering the Connecticut River. After New Hampshire became an independent province under Governor Benning Wentworth, the town was incorporated in 1752 as Chesterfield, after Philip Stanhope, fourth Earl of Chesterfield. The Earl served as Secretary of State and joined William Pitt in opposing what they considered England's unfair treatment of the American Colonies. Chesterfield was the birthplace of Harlan Fiske Stone, Chief Justice of the Supreme Court from 1941 to 1946.
 
Villages and Place Names: Spofford, West Chesterfield
 
Population, Year of the First Census Taken: 1905 residents in 1790
 
Population Trends: Population change for Chesterfield totaled 1,749 over 50 years, from 1,817 in 1970 to 3,566 in 2020. The largest decennial percent change was a 41 percent increase from 1970 to 1980. The town's population declined by one percent from 2010 to 2020.
 
Population Density and Land Area: 2023 (US Census Bureau): 80.1 persons per square mile of land area. Chesterfield contains 45.6 square miles of land area and 2 square miles of inland water area.
 
 
 


Municipal Services
Type of Government Selectmen
Budget:Municipal Appropriations,2021 $4,948,368
Budget:School Appropriations,2021-2022 $8,965,731
Zoning Ordinance 1956/22
Master Plan 2016
Capital Improvement Plan Yes
Industrial Plans Reviewed By Planning Board
 
Boards and Commissions
    Elected: Selectmen; Budget; School; Library; Cemetery
    Appointed: Planning; Zoning; Conservation
 
Public Library Chesterfield Public



Emergency Services
Police Department Full-time
Fire Department Volunteer
Emergency Medical Service Volunteer
 
Nearest Hospital(s) Distance Staffed Beds
Brattleboro Memorial, Brattleboro VT 9 miles   47
Cheshire Medical Center, Keene 14 miles   94


 
Utilities
Electric Supplier Eversource Energy
Natural Gas Supplier None
Water Supplier Private wells
 
Sanitation Private septic
Municipal Wastewater Treatment Plant No
Solid Waste Disposal
    Curbside Trash Pickup None
    Pay-As-You-Throw Program No
    Recycling Program Mandatory
 
Telephone Company Consolidated Communications
Cellular Telephone Access Yes
Cable Television Access Yes
Public Access Television Station No
High Speed Internet Service: Business Yes
High Speed Internet Service: Resident Yes
 


Property Taxes (NH Dept. of Revenue Administration)
2023 Total Tax Rate $19.82
2023 Equalization Ratio 71.0
2023 Full Value Tax Rate (per $1000 of value) $14.01
 
2023 Percent of Local Assessed Valuation by Property Type
    Residential Land and Buildings 90.4%
    Commercial Land and Buildings 8.1%
    Public Utilities, Current Use, and Other 1.5%

 
Housing (ACS 2018-2022)
Total Housing Units 1,792
 
Single-Family Units,Detached or Attached 1,733
 
Units in Multiple-Family Structures:
    Two to Four Units in Structure 39
    Five or More Units in Structure 0
Mobile Homes and Other Housing Units 20




Population(1-Year Estimates/Decennial) (US Census Bureau)
Total Population Community County
   2023 3,651   77,632
   2020 3,566   76,458
   2010 3,603   77,117
   2000 3,547   73,825
   1990 3,080   70,121
   1980 2,561   62,116

 
Demographics American Community Survey (ACS 2018-2022)
Population by Gender
Male   2,000 Female   1,577
Population by Age Group
      Under Age 5 141
      Age 5 to 19 641
      Age 20 to 34 644
      Age 35 to 54 719
      Age 55 to 64 547
      Age 65 and over 885
            Median Age 45.2 years


Educational Attainment, population age 25 or older 2,694
      High school graduation or higher 95.5%
      Bachelor's degree or higher 43.0%
 
Income, Inflation Adjusted $   (ACS 2018-2022)
Per Capita Income $50,439
Median Family Income $125,865
Median Household Income $109,500
 
Median Earnings, full-time, year-round workers
      Male $67,232
      Female $53,750
 
Individuals below poverty level 6.3%
 
Labor Force   (NHES - ELMI)

Annual Average 2013 2023
    Civilian Labor Force 1,980   1,815
    Employed 1,886   1,773
    Unemploymed 94   42
    Unemployment rate 4.7%   2.3%

 
Employment & Wages   (NHES-ELMI)
Annual Average Covered Employment 2013 2023
Good-Producing Industries  
    Average Employment  130  130
    Average Weekly Wage  $1,109  $1,405
 
Service-Providing Industries  
    Average Employment  1,039  1,051
    Average Weekly Wage  $911  $1,142
 
Total Private  
    Average Employment  1,169  1,182
    Average Weekly Wage  $933  $1,171
 
Government(Federal, State, Local)  
    Average Employment  144  129
    Average Weekly Wage  $579  $790
 
Total, Private Industry plus Government  
    Average Employment  1,313  1,310
    Average Weekly Wage  $895  $1,134
 
If "n" appears, data do not meet disclosure standards.




Education and Child Care NH Department of Education, 2023
Schools Students Attend: Chesterfield operates grades K-8; grades 9-12 are tuitioned to Keene District: SAU 29
Career Technology Center: Cheshire Career Center (Keene) Fall Mountain RHS - CTE
 
Educational Facilities(includes Charter Schools) Elementary Middle/Junior High High School Private/Parochial
Number of Schools 1 — — —
Grade Levels K 1-8 — — —
Total Enrollment 248 — — —
       
Nearest Community/Technical College: River Valley
Nearest College or Universities: Keene State; Franklin Pierce-Lebanon; Antioch New England

2023 NH Licensed Child Care Facilities (DHHS-Bureau of Child Care Licensing)   Total Facilities:     2   Capacity:     29

Largest Businesses Product/Service Employees Established
United Natural Foods Food warehouse 1988
Ames Performance Classic Pontiac Parts Distributor 23 2008
Fed Ex Ground Package delivery service 28 2008
Foard Panel Wall panel construction 28+/- 1988
Thomas Companies Construction, drilling, & blasting 65 1971
Westfield Construction Construction 15 1996
Chesterfield Tire Tire sales and service 13 1998
Tire Warehouse Tire sales & service 1990
Perkins Home Center Home lumber supply 45 1988
 
Employer Information Supplied by Municipality
 
Transportation (distance estimated from city/town hall)
Road Access US Routes:
State Routes: 9, 9A, 63
Nearest Interstate/Exit: I-91 (VT), Exit 3
Distance: 6 miles
 
Railroad No
Public Transportation No
 
Nearest Public Use Airport, General Aviation
    Dillant-Hopkins, Swanzey Runway  6,201 ft. asphalt
    Lighted?  Yes Navigation Aids?  Yes
 
Nearest Airport With Scheduled Service
    Manchester-Boston Regional Distance   67 miles
    Number of Passenger Airlines Serving Airport 4
 
Driving distance to select cities:
    Manchester, New Hampshire 78 miles
    Portland, Maine 170 miles
    Boston, Massachusetts 110 miles
    New York City, New York 204 miles
    Montreal, Quebec, Canada 248 miles
 
Commuting To Work (ACS 2018-2022)
Workers 16 years of age and over
  Drove alone, car/truck/van: 79.9%
  Carpooled, car/truck/van: 8.7%
  Used Public Transportation: 0.0%
  Walked: 0.8%
  Traveled by other means: 0.0%
  Worked at home: 10.6%
Mean Travel Time to Work: 23.8 minutes
 
Work in community of residence: 69.0%
Commute to other NH community: 2.5%
Commute out-of-state: 28.5%
Recreation, Attractions, Events
Municipal Parks
YMCA/YWCA
Boys Club/Girls Club
Golf Courses
Swimming: INDOOR FACILITY
Swimming: OUTDOOR FACILITY
Tennis Courts: Indoor Facility
X Tennis Courts: Outdoor Facility
Ice Skating Rink: Indoor Facility
Bowling Facilities
Museums
Cinemas
Performing Arts Facilities
Tourist Attractions
Youth Organizations (ie Scouts and 4-H)
Youth Sports: Baseball
X Youth Sports: Soccer
Youth Sports: Football
X Youth Sports: Basketball
Youth Sports: Hockey
Campgrounds
X Fishing/Hunting
X Boating/Marinas
X Snowmobile Trails
Bicycle Trails
X Cross Country Skiing
X Beach or Waterfront Recreation Areas
X Overnight or Day Camps

Nearest Ski Areas: Mount Ascutney (VT)
 
Other: Chesterfield Gorge; Pisgah State Park